EDC (1-Ethyl-3-[3-dimethylaminopropyl]carbodiimide hydrochloride)

General Description
EDC is a water-soluble carbodiimide  is a zero-length crosslinking agent used to couple carboxyl groups to primary amines, a crosslinker that activates carboxyl groups for spontaneous reaction with primary amines, enabling peptide immobilization and hapten-carrier protein conjugation. In addition, it reacts with phosphate groups. EDC has been used in peptide synthesis; crosslinking proteins to nucleic acids; and preparation of immunoconjugates as examples. Typically, EDC is utilized in the pH range 4.0-6.0 without buffers. In particular, amine and carboxylate buffers should be avoided.

Molecular formula:      C8H17N3·HCl

Molecular weight:        191.70

Spacer arm length:      0 Å

CAS Number:               25952-53-8

Synonyms:                    N-Ethyl-N′-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride, EDAC, EDC hydrochloride, EDC, WSC hydrochloride

Solubility:                      100 mg/ml in water

Storage:                        -20°C. Protect from moisture. Shipped at ambient temperature.

Features of EDC:

• Reactive group: Carbodiimide

• Reaction target: activates carboxyl groups to conjugate to amino groups (primary amines)

• Conjugation strategies—react EDC alone with target groups or include NHS/Sulfo-NHS to increase reaction efficiency or to stabilize active intermediate for later

• Neutral linkage—forms neutral amide bonds between carboxyls and amines

• Water-soluble reagent—add directly to reactions in aqueous, physiological buffers

• Soluble reaction byproducts—easily removed by washing with water or dilute acid

• High-purity, crystalline reagent—use to create high-quality, activated derivatives

Applications:
• Conjugate carboxyl and amino groups among peptides and proteins
• Couple haptens to immunogenic carrier proteins
• Create NHS-activated, amine-reactive labeling compounds
• Crosslink proteins to carboxyl coated beads or surfaces
• Activate nanoparticles with amine-reactive Sulfo-NHS esters
• DNA labeling through 5′-phosphate groups